A West Salem track standout has soared to new heights—and earned top honors from readers.
Lily Griffin, a sophomore on the West Salem track and field team, has been named the Maps Credit Union girls Athlete of the Week, as voted by Statesman Journal readers. Griffin captured 68.36% of the poll votes, a clear testament to her impressive performance on the track.
On May 6, in a dual meet against McNary, Griffin cleared 5 feet, 3 inches in the high jump to take first place. That mark is currently the fourth-best in Class 6A this season, showing she's not just winning meets—she's competing at an elite level statewide.
The rest of the field was strong, too. Dallas track athlete Harlow Nelson finished second in the voting with 28.14% of the votes. Nelson, a sophomore, ran a blistering 12.22-second 100-meter dash on May 5 at a tri-meet against Lebanon and Central, good for first place and the fifth-best time in Class 5A this spring.
Other standout nominees included a decorated group from across Oregon high school sports. Curry, a senior, posted a 15.87-second time in the 100-meter hurdles at the Amity Invitational on May 2, securing first place and the second-best mark in Class 2A this season. Hughes, a junior, dominated the throwing events at the same meet, winning the javelin with a 136-foot, 7-inch toss—the top mark in Class 3A this season—along with a 37-foot, 4-inch shot put that ranks third in 3A.
On the softball diamond, Jones, a junior pitcher for Dallas, turned in a gem on May 4. She threw a complete seven innings, striking out 14 batters while allowing just three hits in the Dragons' 7-1 win over 6A Sandy. Tingle, a sophomore, also shined for the Cougars, recording two hits—including a home run—and a team-high four RBIs in a 7-1 win over Oregon West Conference rival Stayton on May 7. Wittnebel, a senior, made quick work of South Salem on May 4, pitching two innings with four strikeouts and adding two hits and two RBIs in the Celtics' 16-0 rout.
From soaring high jumps to dominant pitching performances, this week's nominees proved that Oregon high school sports are alive and thriving.